“All great achievements of science must start from intuitive
knowledge,” wrote Albert Einstein. In Structural Intuitions, a fascinating exploration of the commonalities between two seemingly disparate realms, renowned
art historian Martin Kemp applies Einstein's notion both to science and to art.
Kemp argues that in both fields, work begins at the intuitive level, curiosity aroused
by our recognition of patterns or order. Kemp's “structural intuitions,” then, are the ways we engage fundamental perceptual and cognitive mechanisms to bring order to our observed world.
Through stimulating juxtaposition, Kemp considers connections between naturally occurring
patterns, cognitive processes, and artistic and scientific expression, drawing on an array of examples from the Renaissance through the present.
Taking a broadly
historical approach, Kemp examines forms and processes such as the geometry of Platonic solids,
the dynamics of growth, and the patterns of fluids in motion, while placing the work of contemporary artists, engineers, and scientists in dialogue with that of visionaries such as Leonardo da Vinci and D'Arcy Thompson.
Richly illustrated, lucidly written,
and wonderfully thought-provoking, Structural Intuitions is essential reading
for anyone seeking insight into common ground in the arts and sciences.
